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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass